PARKERVILLE STORY
Co-Founder of Parkerville Children’s Home, Sister Kate was born to affluent parents, Captain and Mrs Clutterbuck of Wiltshire, England. Sister Kate had always shown a great deal of interest in helping those less fortunate than herself and, at the age of 22, she joined the Community of the Sisters of the Church where her first appointment was at an orphanage in Edgeware Road, London...
STARTED IN 1903
Co-Founder of Parkerville Children’s Home, Sister Kate was born to affluent parents, Captain and Mrs Clutterbuck of Wiltshire, England. Sister Kate had always shown a great deal of interest in helping those less fortunate than herself and, at the age of 22, she joined the Community of the Sisters of the Church where her first appointment was at an orphanage in Edgeware Road, London.
On 11 December 1902 the Orient Pacific RMS Oroya arrived at Fremantle with Sister Kate and Sister Sarah, travelling with an entourage of child migrants from the Orphanage of Mercy, Kilburn, London.
The Sisters set about their work establishing a school but were increasingly concerned about accommodation for the growing number of children in their care. Sister Kate had her sights set on establishing an orphanage away from the city. Their goal was to find an area for the children to grow and develop. In the minds of the sisters “The environment in which the little ones are placed must be as perfect as possible in purity and brightness for the sake of the body, the mind and the soul of the child”.
In May of 1903, the Sisters found an 18 acre block of land in Parkerville. They purchased this land for £280 (pounds). The Sisters believed this was the ideal spot for the children and the country air would strengthen the constitutions of young children and make them healthier.
The Community of Mundaring was very supportive to the children or “waifs” as they were known and the Sisters, but none better than a Mr Walter Padbury, one of Western Australia’s greatest colony builders, who represented Swan District in the Legislative Council and became first Mayor of Guildford. Walter had an inauspicious start to his young life when he was orphaned at 11 years of age and was left to ‘ruthless treatment from fellow settlers, bestirred with mental cruelty’.
When the Sisters first arrived, the property consisted of a single hut and a barn. In September 1905, when Walter became aware of the situation at Parkerville, he employed a builder and members of the local community to build a brick house there, large enough to house 35 to 40 waifs. His action was a catalyst for further Community response. Washing machines and other machinery were provided, 100 fruit trees were planted, and a 6,000 gallon water tank was built, along with a baker’s oven.